The present invention is directed to the field of automotive safety equipment. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a defeasible shield window insert that may be inserted and retained within an opening for an automotive window.
Automobile manufacturers are increasingly incorporating safety features into the design of automobiles, however, with respect to the windows on the automobile, the industry standard remains to simply use a glass window retracting into the door frame. One safety feature that has been incorporated has been the use of a locking device activated by the driver which can be used to prevent passenger windows from being opened. This device is primarily intended for limiting the ability of small children to open a passenger door window.
With respect to a first aspect of the present invention, there are few, if any, devices available to restrain a child or family pet, such as a dog or cat, from exiting through an open window, other than a cage or container. For the safety and comfort of the child or pet, it is clearly beneficial to allow a constant flow of fresh air into the vehicle. Currently, the only choice for parents, or pet owners, who wish to bring safety and comfort to their children and or pets; not confining them physically, or have concern about the amount of air flow, is to limit how far down the window is retracted; thus preventing the child or pet from exiting the window.
With respect to a second aspect of the invention, there has been increasing concern about, and awareness of, the vulnerability of a vehicular occupant to bodily injury or attack as a result of the relative ease of access to the occupant of a vehicle via the glass window of the door. Glass windows may easily be broken and provide little, if any, resistance to assault with a gun.
Currently, the only alternative for increasing the safety of a vehicle occupant with respect to the glass window is to have a custom modification of the vehicle done to install a so called “bullet-proof” window. Such custom modifications are both expensive and relatively uncommon, requiring extensive modifications to the door assembly. Accordingly, the installation of bullet proof windows in vehicles is not commonplace.
A first effort to address the foregoing issues was detailed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,542 issued Nov. 5, 1996, herein incorporated by reference. All of the claims of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,542 patent were based on a window insert that occupied the area normally occupied by the original window. The window insert fitted into the upper channel of the window frame and was retained in its place by the original window fitting into a groove running along the bottom of the insert.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,542 patent's window insert retention system, and because the window insert took the place of the original window, greatly limited the use of the invention. The window could not be rolled up when the insert was in place, and the driver was compelled to stop and remove the insert during inclement weather, or to reduce the flow of air through the insert. The bullet proof window insert needs extensive and complicated weather proofing to be used in any inclement weather. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have an alternative window insert that allows the car's windows to be rolled up and down while the insert remains in place.